The Odd Doctor Out | A Drama | S. 2

308 🩺 Lunch Date For Brunch

Knock knock.

Hongjoong glanced up from his desk at work to see his door open and give way to none other, than his own boyfriend.

'Morning Sunshine,' Seonghwa said, holding up a small cardboard carrier with two coffees, and a brown paper bag in his other hand. 'I brought early lunch, because I know you're going into surgery soon.'

Hongjoong laughed a little in surprise, clearing off a spot on his desk for them to eat. His heart melted, and his mouth salivated. 'I'm starving.'

'Didn't you eat breakfast?' he asked, his voice suddenly filled with concern.

Hongjoong chuckled a little at his adorable face. 'Yes. Am I not allowed to get hungry again before twelve?'

A goofy smile grew on those lips as Seonghwa looked up apologetically. 'Yes, babe. You are.'

Leaning across the desk, Seonghwa connected their lips for a short, yet much appreciated kiss, before sitting down and taking out what Hongjoong saw were two plastic microwave dishes of bolognaise leftovers, steaming and smelling mouth-wateringly good.

'So I saw Yunho earlier,' Seonghwa said as he dished up two sets of cutlery.

Hongjoong glanced up, intrigued. 'Oh?'

He peeled off the lids and slid one across to him. 'Yeah. He looked like he won the lotto over the weekend.'

Hongjoong snorted, picking up his fork. 'Something tells me, he didn't win the lotto.'

Seonghwa smirked, leaning back in the patient chair. 'You think?' Sighing, he glanced up for a moment, deep in thought. 'Joong-ah, he kissed Min the other day...'

Hongjoong's eyes widened. 'He what?'

Seonghwa nodded. 'I know. That's how I reacted.'

'Is Mingi okay?'

He watched his boyfriend bite into his lip, thinking. 'He was quite giddy on the day... But I think he came back down to earth a little afterwards... San said by the time he got home, his go-happy moment had long passed... I think he probably thinks Yunho regrets it... Joong-ah... I'm worried about Min...' 

Hongjoong let his eyes fall tenderly upon him. 'Mingi is very emotionally intelligent, Hwa. He knows how to take care of his heart.'

'But I've seen him in one-sided love... He's never been like this...'

'What do you mean?'

He nibbled a little on his lip as he thought. 'It's like he's sinking... I don't know... Maybe it's because I saw how happy he was after their kiss but... He just... It feels like he's sadder than he has been in the past...'

Feeling bad for him, Hongjoong reached out a hand and put it over his, squeezing gently. 'Hwa, there's some things we can't control in life. We can't control how other people, like Yunho, feel, but we can control how we act. Support Mingi. Whether or not his heart is broken by Yunho, he needs to know that he has people he can go to to talk about it.'

Seonghwa nodded, swallowing back his emotions. 'I guess... I just don't like feeling helpless...'

Hongjoong's heart melted a little in sadness for him. 'I know, baby... But if Yunho is skipping around like he just won his retirement payout, I wouldn't mind wagering he doesn't regret it one bit.'

Seonghwa nodded. 'I know. And I told Min too, but he just said that it doesn't change anything. He doesn't want to date someone closeted ever again.'

Seonghwa bit into his lips, glancing down. 'I can't stop thinking about the way Yunho dropped literally everything and ran to Emergency, and to Mingi's side when he heard he'd fainted... Joong-ah... I think he really likes him... But I'm worried it's all just really bad timing... It took me years to accept my own sexuality, and even longer to come out to my friends and family...'

Hongjoong nodded solemnly. 'I know. But Hwa, everyone walks their own path... Coming to accept not just one's sexuality, but themselves as a person, is a journey, everyone has to take, and isn't necessarily meant to be rushed. Some people learn very early on in their life who they are, and others spend a lifetime searching. Yunho has to find his own way.'

He watched as Seonghwa nodded slightly.

'Hwa, for what it's worth, I know how awful it feels to not be able to help... Sang is struggling too...'

Seonghwa's eyes shot up to him and immediately went into caring mode. 'Is he okay? Are you okay? I thought he had a boyfriend? What happened? When did-'

Hongjoong laughed, slowing him down. 'Hwa, hun, one question at a time,' he breathed, smiling.

But just as Seonghwa had looked like he would choose one question to ask, he suddenly lifted up over the table and pressed his lips against him.

Hongjoong melted, reaching up his fingertips and touching them to his cheeks.

And as Seonghwa sat back back, Hongjoong giggled a little. 'What was that for?'

He shrugged. 'I just wanted to show you how lucky I feel, and how much I love you.'

Hongjoong's heart melted. 'Aww, babe... You're making me all soft.'

He cracked a goofy smile; one that evidently, he couldn't hide. 'I'm still waiting...' he cooed, turning an ear to him.

And Hongjoong felt his cheeks flush.

'I love you too. Now let's eat. Before we get called back to work~'

~~~